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Originally Posted by dm85 This may be a dumb question, but can anyone give me advice on the best place to get boxes for shipping games back? I usually use what's on hand and rarely ship items. Is there a store/location near by which would have boxes in the sizes I'd need and for cheap? Like UPS or a local store?

Cardboard boxes are pretty pricey if you buy them from Staples or any other office supply store. USPS gives out free boxes if you use their USPS Priority Mail shipping service.

The cheapest way is to just save boxes from whenever you order games online.

Originally Posted by Kendro Cardboard boxes are pretty pricey if you buy them from Staples or any other office supply store. USPS gives out free boxes if you use their USPS Priority Mail shipping service. The cheapest way is to just save boxes from whenever you order games online.

I appreciate the response. I've used USPS' Priority Mail before, but since the free shipping offered by Amazon for trade-ins is done through UPS it's not an option. I usually keep old boxes, but the clutter get's so bad I end up throwing them out . Oh well. I'm sure I'll figure something out.

Originally Posted by dm85 I appreciate the response. I've used USPS' Priority Mail before, but since the free shipping offered by Amazon for trade-ins is done through UPS it's not an option. I usually keep old boxes, but the clutter get's so bad I end up throwing them out . Oh well. I'm sure I'll figure something out.

How many games you trading in at a time? If I trade two or three, I do it the ghetto way by wrapping the games a few times in plastic supermarket bags for cushion and throw them in a large envelope.

Originally Posted by Kendro How many games you trading in at a time? If I trade two or three, I do it the ghetto way by wrapping the games a few times in plastic supermarket bags for cushion and throw them in a large envelope.

I don't have that many games so I'll probably just trade-in the 3-4 I'm planning on getting rid of in one package. Just got a Newegg box today so I should be covered.

Originally Posted by perfectsil I know you can cancel a trade in but is this frowned upon by amazon? Do they have to pay ups anyway when I do cancel? I ask because I want to lock in the awesome tiv for AC:R but not sure I'll be done with the game in a week.

I'm pretty sure they only pay UPS if the shipping label is actually used. Also, there have been no reports of anyone getting banned or anything for canceling trade-ins. People probably forget to send in there trades all the time.

Originally Posted by dm85 This may be a dumb question, but can anyone give me advice on the best place to get boxes for shipping games back? I usually use what's on hand and rarely ship items. Is there a store/location near by which would have boxes in the sizes I'd need and for cheap? Like UPS or a local store?

I've gotten some boxes from uline.com in the past. They aren't exactly cheap (their prices are alright, but often the shipping is about the same as the item cost due to the weight) and usually the minimum order is 25 boxes per size. But now that amazon is using these boxes you tear open on the side, and thus effectively destroy their re-usability, folks might not have such a steady supply of boxes as they did in the past. So you need to order a fair number but that said, you'd be set for a while.

8x6x4 is a good standard size for games and DVDs and that size is fairly cheap at 28 cents a box. You can easily fit 6 games/DVDs or a couple TV DVD seasons in that box. Oddly enough, this size is the cheapest 8x6 box they have...the smaller 8x6x2 size is 7 cents more per box.
http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/...rrugated-Boxes

Originally Posted by K_G I've gotten some boxes from uline.com in the past. They aren't exactly cheap (their prices are alright, but often the shipping is about the same as the item cost due to the weight) and usually the minimum order is 25 boxes per size. But now that amazon is using these boxes you tear open on the side, and thus effectively destroy their re-usability, folks might not have such a steady supply of boxes as they did in the past. So you need to order a fair number but that said, you'd be set for a while. 8x6x4 is a good standard size for games and DVDs and that size is fairly cheap at 28 cents a box. You can easily fit 6 games/DVDs or a couple TV DVD seasons in that box. Oddly enough, this size is the cheapest 8x6 box they have...the smaller 8x6x2 size is 7 cents more per box. http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/...rrugated-Boxes

Thx for the heads up. I noticed a few ppl mentioning while doing google searches.

Originally Posted by Kendro How many games you trading in at a time? If I trade two or three, I do it the ghetto way by wrapping the games a few times in plastic supermarket bags for cushion and throw them in a large envelope.

Holy sh!t...that is one of the most ghetto things I've ever heard! Well done, sir (or madam).

I buy all my boxes from uline. Even with shipping it works out pretty cheap per box if you get a bunch at once.
I remember looking at boxes at UPS Store since i need a pretty big one. This $11 one was branded by Uline. So i went home and ordered 10 of them for $10 from there instead. 1100% markup ftw.

I usually just reuse Amazon shipping boxes. Sometimes I'll run out and then use a padded envelope (also reused from something sent by an online retailer usually) with some cardboard - and also the plastic bags . All recycled of course... But right now I'm swimming in boxes from Amazon and Best Buy so it is no problem. I'll have to move them out of my office and into the garage as my tower o' boxes falls over all the time. I sent in several things to Amazon last week, though, and didn't have all these boxes then so it was the padded envelope/cardboard/plastic bag treatment. I got credit for 2 submissions today - no problems.

There was a time a few years ago (when Amazon had the awesome trade-in promos) that I had to buy boxes. I got pretty cheap ones from Target, actually. You definitely do not want to go to a UPS store - their boxes are way overpriced. And USPS does not generally carry generic (non-Priority) boxes (though they may have some). But they would probably not be that cheap either. It always surprises me how many people I see go the post office and treat it like a full service packing store - expecting them to provide a box, tape, labels, etc... If you end up buying that stuff there it will add up - much better to hit up a cheaper place for tape (and boxes if necessary).

Originally Posted by perfectsil I know you can cancel a trade in but is this frowned upon by amazon? Do they have to pay ups anyway when I do cancel? I ask because I want to lock in the awesome tiv for AC:R but not sure I'll be done with the game in a week.

Absolutely do not worry about it - cancel at will. I've canceled probably 40-50 trade-ins. Sometimes I've locked the same game in and canceled it 3 or 4 times. Sometimes the price actually goes up or sometimes I just cancel/resubmit to extend the mailing period (assuming the value stays the same). Other times I just decide to keep a game or maybe even sell it (or trade it to Best Buy instead). It is always good to cancel as we aren't sure if you get your "slot" back if you let it expire. By "slot" I mean one of your 2 copies per year on that title. You never know - you may find it dirt cheap later and want to do another trade. To be absolutely safe, though, if you are just doing the 1 copy of AC:R, simply make another trade-in submission. When that shows on your trade-in history as valid (or you get the confirmation email), then cancel the older one. The reason I say that is that sometimes the value will drop while you are checking out and you end up with a lower price at the end (this has happened to me a few times).

I reuse everything from all my online purchases. My closet is a mess.

I tried looking through the past couple of pages, found some info but it doesn't hurt asking anyway I guess. Still looking to sell my copy of Ratchet and Clank that came with the PS3 bundle. I know Amazon won't accept it with the Not for Resale on it. But is there anyway to get around it? I've found a picture of a bar code, but doubt I could just slip it over the cover. Are there covers online that you could print out? Has anyone found one? Any advice or information on what I could do would be appreciated.

I'd just google a local packaging store around your area. I stumbled across a place that is 2 miles from my house and these packaging places will usually sell new and used boxes. The used boxes work great and are half the price. I go here when I need to find a special box for certain eBay collectibles I sell. Some of these places even offer UPS delivery services too. Used boxes are really cheap. They go for about as low as a $1 each depending on how big you need it.

Originally Posted by xcefkevin I tried looking through the past couple of pages, found some info but it doesn't hurt asking anyway I guess. Still looking to sell my copy of Ratchet and Clank that came with the PS3 bundle. I know Amazon won't accept it with the Not for Resale on it. But is there anyway to get around it? I've found a picture of a bar code, but doubt I could just slip it over the cover. Are there covers online that you could print out? Has anyone found one? Any advice or information on what I could do would be appreciated.

While probably not the most ethical route....

what you could do is go to a Gamestop and find a used copy of the game, then switch the covers and return the copy with the Not for Resale back to Gamestop. Or, instead of switching the covers, just print something off the internet and put it in the copy you return back to Gamestop in place of the actual cover.

They'd have no way of knowing, in either event, that it was you who did that.

Originally Posted by MikeE021286 While probably not the most ethical route.... what you could do is go to a Gamestop and find a used copy of the game, then switch the covers and return the copy with the Not for Resale back to Gamestop. Or, instead of switching the covers, just print something off the internet and put it in the copy you return back to Gamestop in place of the actual cover. They'd have no way of knowing, in either event, that it was you who did that.

I don't think it's a shady act since GS doesn't care about UPC's when it comes to used games. They buy/sell CE's (without the UPC's) at the same price as a standard one anyway. It's just whether you want to go the extra step to do the trade in for AMZ.

Wonder how much Gamestop is actually offering for the game? Gamestop is sadly 25 mins away from my house. So If I have to travel down there I might as well just trade it in there.

Originally Posted by io Absolutely do not worry about it - cancel at will. I've canceled probably 40-50 trade-ins. Sometimes I've locked the same game in and canceled it 3 or 4 times. Sometimes the price actually goes up or sometimes I just cancel/resubmit to extend the mailing period (assuming the value stays the same). Other times I just decide to keep a game or maybe even sell it (or trade it to Best Buy instead). It is always good to cancel as we aren't sure if you get your "slot" back if you let it expire. By "slot" I mean one of your 2 copies per year on that title. You never know - you may find it dirt cheap later and want to do another trade. To be absolutely safe, though, if you are just doing the 1 copy of AC:R, simply make another trade-in submission. When that shows on your trade-in history as valid (or you get the confirmation email), then cancel the older one. The reason I say that is that sometimes the value will drop while you are checking out and you end up with a lower price at the end (this has happened to me a few times).

Thank you for this post, I cancelled my current order and resumitted it because I needed more time. I have a question though. The value on my items increased (which is awesome), but if I didn't cancel would I have gotten those increased values? I know if I buy something and the price drops, I get the lower price, but do I get the increased TIV?

Originally Posted by Devil May Cry Thank you for this post, I cancelled my current order and resumitted it because I needed more time. I have a question though. The value on my items increased (which is awesome), but if I didn't cancel would I have gotten those increased values? I know if I buy something and the price drops, I get the lower price, but do I get the increased TIV?

You get the exact price that is listed on your trade-in confirmation. If the TIV drops while you're shipping it in, you still get the price you locked in, not the lower TIV. Likewise, if the TIV rises, you still get the price you locked in, not the higher TIV.

my trade in for Catherine got rejected cause I didn't have the cd. How long will it take to return and can I send it again but accept its lower value?

Originally Posted by snowmint my trade in for Catherine got rejected cause I didn't have the cd. How long will it take to return and can I send it again but accept its lower value?

My rejected items have always come back to me pretty quick - generally about 4 days after getting notice (in the midwest). You can most definitely resend it at whatever the current value is. As always lock now and monitor values to make sure you get the best possible tiv.